About
I joined the University of Derby in April 2022 as a Lecturer in Business and Management. I am based within the discipline of Marketing and Operations management of the Business, Law and Social Science School. I am mainly teaching with the Derby Business School's apprenticeship team and online programs team. Over the last two years, the key modules I led and taught across terms over the academic year included: Dissertation (Level 7), Business Impact Project (Level 6), Applied Project Management (Level 5), and Project Management (Level 5). I am actively undertaking research supervision from undergraduate to doctoral level across a range of research topics including, water preservation, artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence, entrepreneurship and diversity management. My key interests include knowledge transfer and for this purpose, I encourage industry and academic partnerships for interdisciplinary projects.
Prior to joining the University of Derby, I completed an evaluation for a £6M ERDF-funded Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry project (Cyber Security related innovation support for 150 GM Enterprises) and an evaluation plan for a £4M PrintCity Network (3D printing innovation for 150 GM Enterprises). Prior to that, I had a successful Research and Knowledge Exchange project worth £32,657 to develop a management KTP and a technical innovation KTP in collaboration with the School of Engineering and Technology. During the project duration of 6 months, I was successful in bringing direct savings of £219,952 including a winning management KTP bid worth £171,657. I've also completed a highly successful KTP project for a beds and mattress manufacturer based in Huddersfield. The project focused on process innovation utilising SCRUM brought funding's and savings of over £1.8M exceeding the defined 5 year targets. Along this KTP project of worth £132,000, I have achieved successful bids of £216,504.64 including Future Fashion Factory £56,000, Digital Enterprise top 100 for Deluxe Beds, Digital Voucher, LEP, RTC north, Winning Pitch, Department of International Trade (DIT), Collaborative Venture Fund (CVF), Manufacturing Growth Program, Supply Chain Funding etc.
I have vast experience of professional and academic research. I started my career from a Pakistani think tank before joining academia in the UK. I have participated in over 32 research studies, articles, book chapters and reports as well as presented widely on my topics internationally to a diverse audience.
My research interests are operations, change, innovation, knowledge, culture, leadership and diversity management mainly in manufacturing enterprises.
Teaching responsibilities
I mainly teach Project Management, Operations Management, Innovation and Change management, Research methodology and Entrepreneurship, within UK higher education sector. I have taught at various levels from undergraduate to postgraduate across on-campus to online programs and for professional courses to apprenticeship programs. I have taught across 4 universities in the UK.
Professional interests
In addition to the academic teaching listed above I have designed and delivered professional training to staff from all levels of a manufacturing organisation. Training included IOSH Health & Safety, several IT and tech training including specific software packages, management and leadership training, Scrum and productivity training, project and change management etc.
I take an immense interest in knowledge transfer partnerships with SMEs and work as a consultant for project and change management. I also deliver personality development and character-building training internationally and like to work towards teacher training. I am keen to share my services for the education sector and volunteer with various charities.
Research interests
My key research subjects are knowledge management, diversity (mainly ethnic gender diversity), innovation and change management, agile project management, AI and technological advancement management and entrepreneurship. I have published across these subjects though keen to diversify my portfolio. Further to these subjects, I am interested in youth development and social change. I consider myself a critical realist and enjoy qualitative research more. I feel confident in developing data collection tools and hold strong interviewing expertise. I have explored thematic analysis techniques mainly and wish to work on grounded theory and action research. Personally, I like the case study approach for research but am open to exploring other approaches.
Recent conferences
Key Conference papers
- Javed, S., Bamford, D. and Syed, J. (2016). An empirical investigation of knowledge management in Pakistani think tanks. At Atlantic School of Business conference 2016, Oct 21-23, 2016, Halifax, Canada
- Javed, S., Bamford, D. and Syed, J. (2016). An empirical investigation of knowledge management in Pakistani think tanks. At British Academy of Management, conference 2016, Sep 6-8, 2016, Newcastle
- Javed, S., Bamford, D., Higgins, D. (2015). Knowledge management and organizational performance in Pakistani think tanks. Development paper and poster presented at British Academy of Management conference 2015, Portsmouth Sep 8-10
10 other conference presentations.
Experience in industry
Knowledge transfer partnership funded research £136,000 in ‘operations management utilising Scrum, change management and developing leadership’, the Huddersfield Business School, Jan 2018 – Jan 2020. Key successes include:
- Savings of £1,837,518 for industrial partner exceeding the planned 5-year target
- Successful research funding bids of £231,504 including Future Fashion Factory £56,000, Digital Voucher, Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), RTC North, Winning Pitch, Department of International Trade, Collaboration Venture Funding, Supply Chain Funding, Research Knowledge Exchange Manchester Metropolitan University etc
- Leadership Development and mentoring of the Managing Director, Board of Directors and Strategic Management Team.
- Upgraded the organisation's Information Technology infrastructure and developed in-house IT support
- Strategic Human Resources initiatives including developing training programs, apprenticeships, and student experience programmes
- Manufacturing layout improvements
- Development of debt recovery procedures
- Development of strategic planning
- Development of a marketing strategy which resulted in the organisation’s listing in the Digital Enterprise Top 100 for 2018, The Manufacturer Top 100 for 2019, the Oracle Awards 2019, the British Muslim Awards for Jan 2020, and Top 3 of the Innovative products of National Bed Federation 2019
- REF impact case study for Huddersfield Business School (2021)
- Javed, S., Bamford, J. and Abualqumboz, M. (2020). Helping Deluxe Beds to Sleep Easy: A Case Study of Innovative Project Management, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Leadership, project and Change management, Deluxe Beds Ltd (Manufacturing), Jan 2017 – Sep 2020.
- This consultancy tenure revolved around mentoring and development of the Managing Director, development of director’s board, senior management team and all staff forums
- Senior leadership development program through a funded project of Supply Chain management, University of Huddersfield in collaboration with a business coach and Sheffield Hallam University’s executive education program
- Change management with a diverse economically under privileged work force was mainly achieved by adaption of Scrum framework-an Agile management technique with aim for developing a continuous improvement culture
- Improved several departments including Operations, H&S, HR, Sales, IT and MD’s office, development of apprenticeship, work placement and internship programs in collaboration of various academic institutes, development of multiskilling culture within manufacturing team and adoption of lean operations, and development of 14 funded projects
I have been engaged with several commercial awareness project, for example:
- Conducted research focus groups, for RCUK with Agroni Research Ltd, London to explore understanding of CPR among diverse communities and establishing training needs. Access to diverse niche group was a challenge for this project which was successfully resolved especially for Pakistani women and Caribbean males age group 18-40. May – Aug 2022
- Achieved expertise as a market research interviewer, coordinator, trainer with Agroni research Ltd, London for 5 projects related to survey of food market, Aug 2013 – Dec 2016, West Yorkshire
- Surveyor for bus occupancy survey, SkyHigh Technologies for Kirklees council, April 2015
My career mainly started on full time basis after completion of my MBA degree within research sector.
Research experience at Think Tank
Research coordinator, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad Aug 2010-Aug 2012.
Coordinated research projects mainly on ‘Gender issues’ and ‘Education’. Along developing and leading the ‘Study group on gender issues’ also managed 4 working groups on ‘Gender and media’, ‘Gender and economy’, ‘Gender and legislation’ and a ‘Task force on legislation regarding women issues. The groups achieved completion of several reports and research papers.
Assistant research coordinator, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad May 2008–Aug 2010.
Intern ‘Gender Issues’, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, June–Sep 2007.
International experience
I have my early education and first degree from Pakistan and started my professional career there from a think tank organisation, considering my interest in research. Since the last 10 years of my association with UK Higher Education, I have polished my skills further. I have attended Scrum Certification in Ireland and the Atlantic School of Business conference in Halifax, Canada. I have participated in academic and professional conferences and events throughout the UK.
Additional interests and activities
Educational advisor for Earniversity, since October 2023
Advisory board member for Empowered Youth Academy, since Jan 2022.
Ambassador Falcon Wisdom, Jan 2021 – Present.
Conference and Academic Event Management
- Vice Chair of Huddersfield PGR multidisciplinary conference 2016 organising committee
- Conference "International Refugee Law, Islamic Shariah and Afghan Refugees in Pakistan”, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad (2010)
- Organized 30+ roundtables, public lectures and seminars, and several institutional meetings, Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, May 2008–August 2012
